Opportunism and true grit defined a top-class edition of the Gr2 Oriental Watch 55th Anniversary Sha Tin Trophy on Sunday as the ‘Mauritian Magician’ Karis Teetan and Designs On Rome teamed up for a crowd-raising victory.
Karis Teetan rode the John Moore-trained Designs On Rome to a thrilling victory
With Beauty Flame setting a lethargic tempo through the first half of the 1600m feature, Teetan decided to take the race by the scruff of the neck, unleashing Designs On Rome from the rear, skirting the field and grabbing a share of the lead 550m out.
“He won his race around the 700 metres,” Teetan said.
“I was drawn one and I didn’t want to get blocked in on the rail so waited for them to go, pulled him out and let him find his feet at the back. He’s a clever horse – once I pulled him out and showed him the daylight, at the same time they slowed the pace and I took the decision to let him go.”
A long haul down the Sha Tin straight lay before the six-year-old but the four-time Gr1 winner was game for the challenge. Firstly the 2014 Longines Hong Kong Cup hero repelled Beauty Flame, and when old foe Blazing Speed and the sharp finisher Beauty Only threatened, the tough bay had their measure, scoring by a neck in 1m 35.36s.
“He doesn’t know how to get beat!” Moore said. “He knows where the line is, and, anything that comes at him, he just knuckles down. It shows how good a horse he is, with that lightning move by Karis when the pace was slackened, that made the difference between winning and losing. Typical him, he never gives up, he does not know how to lose in a fight. He just dug. He’s still a force to reckon with.”
Karis Teetan is riding with great confidence
Moore, who also saddled the beaten race favourite, fourth-placed Joyful Trinity , admitted the result was a shock.
“I didn’t expect that,” he said.
“They walked and then he made that big run, which he can sustain. Big surprise – I thought if he ran third or fourth I’d be very pleased leading into the Jockey Club Cup (2000m) next month. But Karis had given me a lot of favourable reports, so we curtailed the gallop on Saturday, so it was only Wednesday on his own and that was it – that freshened him right up.
“We hope he pulls up sound and we can get him there for the race next month and move on to the Hong Kong Cup in December.”
Teetan took his record on the Holy Roman Emperor gelding, a former Hong Kong Horse of the Year, to two wins from six rides stretched across four seasons.
“All credit to the whole team at the yard because this horse was so well. My final gallop, I went up to Mr. Moore and said ‘this horse is ready to go, I’ve never felt him so good’.
“I know he’s getting ready for the bigger races and the Hong Kong Cup in December is the big one but he came today feeling good – he’s not 100 percent ready yet, but his wellbeing, the way he felt so good, that got him to the line today.”
